Malaysian Grand Prix - Free Practice Two

It would depend where the others are to answer that in relation to your 4 laps to 39.7 time. the other drivers need to lay down a benchmark of their own, if it turns out that Raikkonen for example could do a 39 flat, then hamiltons pace was flattery. i have no way to know.

by Efranov3/27/2015 7:11:25 AM

@Efranov: But they had already laid a benchmark of their own? Hamilton was the only one who hadn't done a medium run out of those top four so I don't understand your point.

Vettel had a spin on his fast lap and is now doing a long run on heavier fuel so his actual quali potential is much, much higher than his current p7 would indicate. But that's what practice is for....finding the limits.

by Spirit3/27/2015 7:15:33 AM

Exactly. Important to remember that point - this is practice. Lots of people getting ahead of themselves in the comments.

by Nate Saunders3/27/2015 7:15:55 AM

But dosent practice help teams to find the best possible setting for the car for race and Quali?

by Prabul3/27/2015 7:17:21 AM

@Prabul: Yes, it does, but the times aren't always the be-all and end-all like some people assume. Lots of other factors at play. Fuel loads are always unknown, for example.

by Nate Saunders3/27/2015 7:17:47 AM

What is Alonso's lap time on mediums?

by Babu3/27/2015 7:17:49 AM

@Babu: 1:42.506.

by Nate Saunders3/27/2015 7:18:01 AM

We're unlikely to see any late changes to the timing screens now as drivers set about on their longer, higher-fuel runs.

Lotus seem rather shameless about using Jorda as eye candy/publicity stunt.. Not really appropriate..?

by RoGe3/27/2015 7:19:25 AM

Ericsson the latest driver to complain about how frequently he's locking the fronts.

by Nate Saunders3/27/2015 7:20:02 AM

Nate, any chance for ESPNF1.com top consider swapping "no.of laps run" with lap times in the display on the left hand side of the web page?

by Antony Makanza3/27/2015 7:20:49 AM

@AntonyMakanza: Unfortunately we do not have access to the lap times until the end of the session, at least not on our timing screen.

by Nate Saunders3/27/2015 7:21:31 AM

@RoGe: You have something against pretty women? I don't . . .

by Dave D.3/27/2015 7:21:42 AM

I think RoGe made a good point. But then I don't know what else Jorda is there for - she certainly isn't there for her driving talent.

by Nate Saunders3/27/2015 7:22:16 AM

It's a shame to see a woman like Simona de Silvestro struggling to find a drive in F1 when Jorda seemingly breezes into one.

by Nate Saunders3/27/2015 7:22:44 AM

Alonso has a big, big lock-up through the final corner and ends up sliding across the grass and gravel. The Spaniard improvises and dashes into the pits.

by Nate Saunders3/27/2015 7:23:13 AM

Seven minutes left in this session.

by Nate Saunders3/27/2015 7:23:18 AM

Engineers often talk about points of downforce. What are they exactly? How much does an F1 car have nowadays? Cuz when they say "oh we found 5 points", I have no idea if it's a lot or not, if it's pounds of downforce or what...

by Michael Bialocur3/27/2015 7:25:00 AM

@MichaelBialocur: That's a very good question. There's no defined measurement for "one point" of downforce - that will be different depending on which team you are at. So when one team says they find five points, that can be a different amount than another team.

by Nate Saunders3/27/2015 7:25:44 AM

Yea Nate. Love how Simona drives

by RCC3/27/2015 7:26:05 AM

Kvyat is told to nurse his car home with what looks like gearbox problems.

by Nate Saunders3/27/2015 7:26:23 AM

Perhaps, percentage point [of increase]? I.E., delta percent?

by Dave D.3/27/2015 7:27:28 AM

@DaveD.: Yes, something along those lines. The point I was trying to make is the unit of "one point" is different at each team, so it's hard to say exactly what a point of downforce is.

by Nate Saunders3/27/2015 7:27:59 AM

Verstappen has shredded his right tyre and locks up again in the middle sector.

by Nate Saunders3/27/2015 7:28:16 AM

Kvyat is really having a bad start to the season.

by schalkjakes3/27/2015 7:28:18 AM

@schalkjakes: He is, but how much of that is down to Renault and how much is down to him?

by Nate Saunders3/27/2015 7:28:30 AM

We're approachign the final minute of this session.

by Nate Saunders3/27/2015 7:28:59 AM

Whose pace looks good at the moment' Nate?

by RCC3/27/2015 7:29:03 AM

@RCC: Lewis looked pretty good. Having so little running and then nailing a lap like that is mightily impressive.